JD.com Founder's Automation Plan: 700,000 Workers to Go White-Collar

JD.com founder Richard Liu said the company will replace its 700,000 manual delivery workers with robots over time. Those workers will move into office roles maintaining and troubleshooting the machines, he said.

JD.com operates one of China's largest logistics networks. The shift reflects a broader automation trend in Chinese e-commerce. Liu made the comments at a recent company event, according to a report.

The transition will take years. JD.com already uses automated warehouses, drones, and delivery robots in some cities. Retraining the workforce is a major operational challenge.

The potential cost savings are clear. Labor expenses represent a significant cost for JD.com, and automation could improve margins. The time frame and retraining needs introduce execution risk.

Liu said the company's goal is to make blue-collar workers white-collar. The number of affected workers – 700,000 – makes this one of the largest automation plans in the sector.